The Wildrose Party will name its interim leader later today in Calgary.
The party is still reeling after nine MLAs crossed the floor to the governing Progressive Conservatives last week, including former leader Danielle Smith.
Smith said last week’s decision was precipitated by a series of events beginning with the loss of four byelections, which left her wondering whether the party could be “a spoiler” in urban ridings.
Those losses were compounded by the defeat of an anti-discrimination policy at the party’s annual general meeting followed by the defection of two MLAs at the end of November.
Smith said a merger between the two parties was proposed to her last May, but she rejected it outright because she thought it was “too soon.”
Staff members laid off
Smith dismissed calls from current Wildrose MLAs to run in a byelection, but said she would conduct some polling and listen to what her constituents have to say.
“To me, it’s declaring victory and uniting conservatives under the leadership of one person so that we can deal with some very significant challenges ahead,” Smith told CBC News on Saturday.
The party had to lay off about 10 or 11 staff members following the announcement. A crowdfunding campaign to help Wildrose staffers has nearly reached its $20,000 goal in just two days.
Party officials are adamant they will continue building support in the province and electing MLAs. The party now has five MLAs in the Alberta Legislature:
Shayne Saskiw (Lac La Biche-St. Paul-Two Hills) Elected in 2012.
Rick Strankman (Drumheller-Stettler) Elected in 2012.
Drew Barnes (Cypress-Medicine Hat) Elected in 2012.
Heather Forsyth (Calgary-Fish Creek) Elected in 1993 as PC MLA, but crossed the floor in 2010 to the Wildrose. She plans to retire after this sitting.
Pat Stier (Livingstone-Macleod) Elected in 2012.
The person named as the new interim Wildrose leader will become the party’s fifth leader since 2003 when it was still known as the Alberta Alliance Party. The party later merged with the Wildrose Party of Alberta in 2008 to become the group it is today.
